Monday, February 20, 2012

I remember a beloved girl telling me how in surah Kahfi, Khidir a.s hid the orphans’ treasure, because abuhuma shaliha, ‘their father was a shalih man’. He also killed the young boy, and prayed for a son of greater purity as replacement, because abawaahu mu’minain, ‘their parents are both mu’min’.

I remember another beloved girl telling me how Yusuf a.s was beautifully raised up in the house of Ya’qub. With a father who had perfectly prepared him in both iman and akhlak, young Yusuf faced his subsequent tests after tests, gracefully righteously.

I remember Hajar with her excellent level of tawakkal. Even after being left to raise isma’il in the desert alone, she managed to bring him up as a strong faithful child who, when his father came to claim his life, calmly said ‘’do what you are commanded, you shall find me very patient insyaAllah.".

I remember Khadijah, with her selfless sacrifices for Islam, blessed with daughters as dwellers of jannah.

I remember Ummu ‘Aiman with her deep love for Allah and Rasul, blessed with sons ‘Aiman and Usamah, as well as zauj Zaid. All three, martyrs. syahid fi sabilillah.

I remember Yassir wa Sumayyah, killed right before the eyes of their teenage son. But Allah took care of ‘Ammar.

Rabbana hablana min azwajina wa dzurriyyatina qurrata a’yun, waj’alna lil muttaqina imama. (25:74) "Our Rabb, grant us in our mates and offspring the joy of our eyes and make us imam for those who guard against evil."

While scrubbing the surface of the living room table, (mom made me scrub off the soooooo BANYAK permanent marker stains I left while writing down ifa's kertas mah-jong presentation the other night), I was reminded of what another beloved girl of mine used to tell me, it’s not easy being a parent, so don’t blame parents for the fault of the offsprings. Each child has own personality, and you'd never know what's to become of them when you're away or gone.

Some say parents will be the ones who are left to scrub off the mistakes of the children. They say parents are like erasers while children are like the pencils who scribble around aimlessly. And the erasers struggle to erase up their mistakes, bound to get all used up sooner or later.

Friday, February 17, 2012

The heart carries most of what we present to Allah when we return. Whose iman is the most complete? Whose taqwa level is the highest? All are matters of the heart, so who, has, the purest heart?

“Rasulullah saw was asked which of the people are best. He saw said: “Every person with a makhmum heart, and every person with a truthful tongue.” So they said: “We know what a person with a truthful tongue is but who is the one with the makhmum heart?” He saw said: “The (heart) that is pious and pure, with no sin in it, or transgression (injustice) or envy.” [Ibn Maajah]

Imagine the humility, the shame, when we’re called forth to show our hearts to Allah. Each passing thought, exposed. All feelings you used to have towards anybody or anything, good or bad. All unsaid words, unseen hawa’ kept secret due to ke’aiban if revealed. All the sins you don’t know whether forgiven, all the sins you don’t even know are sins due to your lack of ‘ilm, and all the sins you don’t even remember doing due to your lack of taqwa. I guess that's why Rasulullah said, "Buatlah sesuka hatimu, jika kamu tidak malu"(Bukhari) The regrets we’d have when all hidden contents of the heart are questioned and judged on that Day,

"the day on which neither wealth nor sons will be of any use, except for whoever brings to Allah a sound heart." (ash Shu'araa 26: 88-89)

Dan Allah Maha Teliti.

On that Day, only those who come to Allah with a sound heart will be saved.Baik hati, baiklah segala galanya.Sakit mata, patah kaki, pedih luka sana sini x apa lah, as long as our islam heart is still intact, ‘aqidah and iman still safe and sound.

The earth is protected by the ozone layer, and we’re all now having growing concerns of its thinning problem and widening holes. We protect our eyes and skin from the scorching sun with its invisible cancerous rays using shades, moisturisers and sun blocks. We protect our walking feet by wearing suitable walking shoes. We wrap fragile items carefully when travelling, transporting them in boxes. We keep our cell phones in their respective rubber cases so they won’t get scratched, and put rubber layers on top of our laptop keypads so the prints won’t fade. We package our food properly and complain when suppliers are careless in doing so. Such are the initiatives of ‘covering’ the ones we hold dear. Coated and veiled, with sometimes extra layers for extra protection.

And the same is needed for the heart. To be tightly sealed and aggressively guarded from all sources of evil darkness, external and within.

When Frodo Baggins got the ring, (that one ring to rule 'em all) he went all out to guard it and complete his mission, fully aware that it may cost him his life.. ok that’s fiction!.. When we alhamdulillah receive one thing we’ve secretly wished for and liked. Or when we’re given one task, one chance to prove our worth. We wouldn’t wanna screw it. If a peasant was given a durian runtuh of gold, ‘happy giller’ would be an understatement as to what he’s actually feeling. And you can predict his next steps in securing the fortune. If a drowning man, ( say, who is helplessly tied up, unable to swim, and doesn’t wanna die ), is suddenly rescued and pulled towards the surface at the very last second he can hold his breath, his gratitude for that first gasp of air is undoubtedly indescribable.

Know that to have islam in our hearts is way more precious than all those glorious ni’mat. Alhamdulillah.But hidayah might come to us only once. What’s more even if it did touch our hearts, it may or may not stay. So let's not blow this gifted opportunity away. Surrender our hearts and embrace Islam fully. What is better than sibghah Allah? It's the one liberation never ever ever to be taken for granted. Our gratitude for it’s coming, our acts and expressions in cherishing it, and our fierce determination to protect it, should be up to the level of INFINITY, and beyond!

Therefore, when Allah alone is not a strong enough motivational factor, we’re officially unfortunately having, a heart disease. :S if left untreated, a heart attack too! There are so many people who admit to not having the purest heart and not being the best ‘abid, yet are still very much satisfied with it..

"Our Rabb, do not make our hearts go astray after You have guided us, and grant us rahmat from Yourself. You grant rahmat without measure." (ali ‘Imran 3: 8)

Note: I find it enriching to know the differences in the words al qalb, al fu’ad, al lubb and as sadr. Please, :)

Ni’mat terbesar ialah islam dan iman. Our love towards our iman can be measured by the extent we go to keep it, either from the nasty evil tyrant as how the ashabul kahfi experienced, or simply from our own lower self like how Yusuf a.s did when seduced by his master's wife. Berbahagialah mereka yang tetap teguh, sedangkan untuk mengerjakan sekecil kecil kebaikan pun adalah dengan keizinNya.

Ya Allah, protect our hearts.

"Temptations are presented to the heart, one by one. Any heart that accepts them will be left with a black stain, but any heart that rejects them will be left with a mark of purity, so that hearts are of two types: a dark heart that has turned away and become like an overturned vessel, and a pure heart that will never be harmed by temptation for as long as the earth and the heavens exist. The dark heart only recognises good and denounces evil when this suits its desires and whims." (HR Muslim)

Because like how, just by owning a DSLR doesn’t make you a photographer and just by active participation does not necessarily make you a da’ie ila Allah, just by being born as a Muslim does not make you a muslim at heart.